This happened in San Francisco, on the Friday before Palm Sunday, 1963. We were returning from the store in our new car when we were hit by a drunk driver. For a split second I felt a pain in my head, and that is all I remember until I regained consciousness in the hospital. My head, neck and back were seriously injured. The doctor's diagnosis stated that I had a concussion, cracked skull, injury to the spine and damage to the motor nerves from my waist down into my legs. And I had barely recovered from two other serious operations!
I had to lie on my back, completely immobile. I was put in traction, with heavy weights at my head and my pelvis, pulling in opposite directions. The doctors hoped thereby to free the damaged nerves in the spine. If not, I would have to remain as 1 was or undergo an operation, which could make things worse. It was a depressing situation. And Pascha was approaching.
Suddenly, two young boys came into the ward followed by a small, elderly, hunch-backed priest with slanting eyes. The nurse pointed at me and the three of them moved towards me. I felt rather awkward in front of the nurse and the others in the ward and I thought, "Why did this Batiushka come, who called him, why did he have to come here?" The priest was already at my bed saying something, but I couldn't make out what it was. He then leaned closer to me and asked my name. I answered. He looked at me and it was as though his gaze seized me from head to foot. Suddenly he placed his hand firmly on my forehead and said, "What happened, were you in a car accident?" "Yes," I answered, thinking to myself, "How does he know?" "Well, let's pray," he said. "All right." Resting his hand on my head (his hand was so warm, so warm!) and closing his eyes, he began to pray. Then he took a bottle of oil from a bag one of the boys was holding and anointed my head, forehead, throat, chest, hands and feet and gave me some wine to drink and a piece of antidoron. Sprinkling me with holy water, he smiled and gave me a paschal egg (not an edible one, but a decorated one wrapped in gold ribbons). Continuing to smile, he reached into his capacious pocket, searched for something and finally pulled out a lilac-blue marble egg which he put into my hand. "Here, hold this; this is no ordinary egg, it's a gold one." Saying this, he blessed me. I kissed his cross and his hand, and they all left.
After he had gone — he had come during the day — I fell asleep holding the egg and awoke when it was already dark. That night a real miracle occurred. I needed a nurse but couldn't call her. Incredibly, I suddenly felt compelled to get up from the bed myself! I took off the various straps, ties, weights, and crawled to the end of the bed and slid onto the floor. The other patients in the ward awoke from all the noise and, seeing me standing by my bed and knowing that I was paralyzed from the waist down, began shouting for the nurse. A nurse came flying in and was stupefied on seeing me. "Help me with this patient!" Two more nurses came and together they tried to put me back in bed, certain that the doctors would reprimand them for what had happened. I insisted on having my way and managed to walk by myself to the bathroom and back! My legs wobbled from weakness, but I wept with joy.
The next day, after many X rays and an examination, my doctor said to me, "I'm completely baffled! From a medical point of view this is impossible! I'm going to call other doctors for a consultation." Other doctors came… . They kept me for another nine days before releasing me. No explanation could be found.
Ever since that night, after the visit of that little "priest," I have been walking on my own two legs, without any complications and without any operation. At that time I had no idea who that "priest" was. I didn't know Vladika John, I hadn't even heard about him. Only later did I learn who it was who visited me in the hospital. I understood what mercy I had been granted from the touch of his hands, having received such an incredible healing through his prayers!
At the end of 1963 I experienced a whole series of personal problems. It was an extremely difficult time for me. My mother, having by this time learned about Vladika, invited him to our home. When he came and sat down on the sofa, I simply fell to my knees in front of him, sobbing. He gently stroked my head and quietly prayed. All my troubles disappeared and my whole life took a new direction.
Twice in one year I was granted healing through the prayers of Vladika John… My family and I continue to receive mercy and healing, even after Vladika's repose.
Tatiana Estrada, Concord, CA